To reduce load, Belgachia Bridge's tar top to be removed

Kolkata: The state Public Works Department (PWD) has begun the removal of the tar top from Belgachia Bridge on Tuesday.

The decision was taken to remove the tar top to reduce the weight of the bridge. The additional weight has affected its health adversely.

The PWD will take a month to remove the tar top. Heavy-duty machines have been deployed to do the job. Senior engineers of the PWD visited the spot before the tar removal operation started. The concrete collected from the site has been sent for testing.

The load on Belgachia Bridge went up after traffic along Talla Bridge got suspended after the engineers examined its health and recommended that it would be risky to allow heavy vehicles on the bridge as the main supporting pillars have become weak and were unable to bear the load.

Accordingly, a ban was imposed on the plying of heavy vehicles including state-run and private buses. The vehicles have been diverted via Belgachia Bridge.

Senior PWD officials said as already the volume of traffic was putting additional weight on the bridge, it would be advisable to remove the tar top. The health of Belgachia Bridge will be examined and recommendations of the expert will be followed.

It may be mentioned that during the 34 years of the Left Front rule, no step had ever been taken to strengthen and maintain the bridge. The number of vehicles using the bridge went up by at least seven to eight times in the past three decades. As no measure was taken, the pillars have become weak and all these bridges now need thorough repair, senior PWD officials said.